SpaceX Test Fires Private Rocket Bound for Space Station

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The private spaceflight company SpaceX successfully test fired
the rocket that will launch the first-ever commercial space
capsule to the International Space Station today (April 30),
after a slight delay that was caused by an apparent computer
glitch.

SpaceX officials conducted the so-called "static fire test" of
the firm's
Falcon 9 rocket today on a second try at 4:15 p.m. EDT (2015
GMT) at Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket is poised on the launch
pad, ready to blast off toward the space station on May 7. SpaceX
aired the engine test live via the company's website.

A first attempt, which aimed to fire the rocket's engines at
around 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT), hit a snag with 47 second remaining
in the mock countdown. SpaceX officials traced the problem to a
flight computer, but the issue was resolved after a brief delay.

During today's static fire test, the nine Merlin engines that
power the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage were ignited for about
two seconds, as the booster remained attached to the launch pad.

"So far things look good," SpaceX spokesperson Kirstin Grantham
said in a statement. "Engines fired for 2 seconds, as scheduled.
Engineers will now review data as we continue preparations for
the upcoming launch."

SpaceX is expected to conduct a thorough review of all the data
as engineers make final preparations for the upcoming launch,
which is currently targeted for May 7.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is a two-stage booster that stands about
180 feet tall (55 meters) and is topped with the company's
unmanned
Dragon space capsule. It is the capsule that will be making
the trip to the International Space Station, where a crew of
astronauts is waiting to pluck the gumdrop-shaped capsule from
space using a robotic arm. The Dragon vehicle will be attached to
the orbiting complex with the robotic arm.

The Hawthorne, Calif.-based SpaceX
(short for Space Exploration Technologies, Corp.) has a $1.6
billion contract with NASA to conduct 12 cargo missions to the
space station with its Dragon spacecraft.

"This will be the first attempt by a commercial company to send a
spacecraft to the International Space Station, a feat previously
performed by only a few governments. Success is not guaranteed,"
SpaceX officials said. "If any aspect of the mission is not
successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again."

SpaceX is one of two private companies with contracts to provide
unmanned space cargo flights to the space station for NASA. The
Virginia-based company Orbital Technologies, Corp., has a $1.9
billion contract to provide eight cargo delivery missions using
its own Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rocket. The first test of
that spacecraft and rocket is expected to occur later this year.

SpaceX officials said the May
7 launch of Dragon toward the space station will also be
webcast live via the company's website.